Last one-shot I’ll be uploading in this account. Posted it in LJ and crossposting it here. Written with iu_fanfiction’s prompt, X marks the spot. This is crack so it’s nothing to be taken in-depth, plus I changed some facts so… it would fit into the plot.. RyoSaku is slight so please don’t expect mush, okay?

All disclaimers apply.

HEIGHT

As far as Ryoma knew it, it was all Tezuka’s fault.

One day, after their practice, the two were left alone at the locker room. Neither of them intended this, though Ryoma might have gone slower subconsciously. Tezuka said nothing – he was usually the last one left, after all.

“Buchou, can I ask you something?” Ryoma asked, as he pretended to tighten the laces on his shoes.

Tezuka, at once, felt himself flush with unspoken pride. Finally, he thought, Ryoma had come to him seeking for knowledge. He must do his best as this boy was the future of Seigaku. Clearing his throat, he said in the most paternal tone he could muster:

“Hn?”

Ryoma noted the unchanged expression in the captain’s face, and he decided to just let it out. He cleared his throat, just like the captain did, and looked away.

“Does height matter?”

“Yes,” Tezuka replied a bit too fast. As soon as he realized that it was the wrong answer, it was already too late. “I mean no.”

“You said yes.”

“No, I did not.”

“Yes, you did.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Tezuka stared back at Ryoma’s cold eyes.

“20 laps around the court. Now.”

--

Needless to say, Ryoma didn’t bother asking his other sempai for their opinion. Knowing how straight-forward and serious Tezuka was, he didn’t need to hear others. Height mattered, and that was it. Besides, Eiji wouldn’t call him ‘ochibi’ for nothing, would he?

It bothered him a lot how people were suddenly getting interested in their heights and weights. The fact that it had been measuring day recently didn’t help (plus the fact that he hadn’t grown at all). It doesn’t matter, he consoled himself. Physical appearances were for shallow people.

But it didn’t help that he overheard the nurse measuring Ryuzaki Sakuno…

… and that she was 5 centimeters taller than he was.

Groaning in frustration, he let himself drown in their teacher’s lesson.

--

“Don’t be too sad about it, Echizen!” Horio tried consoling him, as they both ate lunch at the rooftop. Why Horio was there, Ryoma would never know. “It’s okay if no one cooks you homemade lunch like Aki-chan does.”

As usual, Horio got everything wrong. And as usual, he was being his braggy old self – possibly more than usual – because he just recently got a girlfriend. The fact continued to baffle Ryoma as he silently munched on his curry bread. Well, he thought bitterly to himself, he isn’t 151 cm tall.

“Ah, how nice it is eating hot lunch full of love.” He pointed his chopsticks at Ryoma. “Surely someday you’ll experience something like this, Echizen, but you’re just three years too young for it. Bwahahaha!”

“Hn,” was all Ryoma could reply as he wiped the rice from Horio’s mouth out of his face.

For once, he didn’t know what to say.

--

“Don’t you think that’s rather too much, Ryoma-san?”

Nanako looked worriedly at the three bottles of milk set on the breakfast table. Seeing as how Ryoma looked that morning, he seemed determined to finish them all. He was staring at the bottles as if they were going to attack him any minute.

“But… don’t you dislike milk?”

“Milk is the best,” Ryoma muttered unconvincingly as he hesitantly took one and uncapped it. In one gulp, he finished half the bottle and looked like he was about to puke right after.

“Ano, you can leave the rest for later, if you---”

“No,” Ryoma cut her off, looking paler by the minute. He took another large gulp and finished the bottle. Quickly, he finished off the rest of his milk, too. He leaned back against his chair and his eyes glazed over. “Mada… mada… dane…”

“I’m getting the mop,” Nanako informed him and left to do so, with Ryoma retching behind her.

--

Ryoma scowled as he buried his face into his pillow. He felt humiliated at the fact that he couldn’t even take that much milk. He needed milk to grow fast and if he couldn’t even drink that much, he might as well stay an elf forever.

“I heard from Nanako. Don’t you worry so much, you’ll grow in your right time.”

“Heh. Yeah, right. He’ll stay an imp for the rest of his life,” commented his dad from the side. He laughed at his own joke until Rinko forced him out of Ryoma’s room.

“Dad’s an idiot,” Ryoma muttered.

“Yes, I know.”

Ryoma groaned loudly – he was feeling his stomach twist and rumble violently. Bile began rising through his throat again. Weakly, he said, “But he’s a tall idiot.”

“Oh, honey.”

And he threw up again.

--

“Ryoma-san,” Nanako called, hours after his parents had left. Ryoma was certainly feeling a lot better, though not good enough to make him climb out of bed. His stomach still had problems, but he wasn’t throwing up as much. “You have visitors.”

The boy groaned to himself, thinking that if it was Horio, he might have to commit suicide first. Since he couldn’t argue or tell Nanako to send him away with any excuse or jump out of the window, he let himself deeper into the bed and feign death some way or another.

“Ano… Ryoma-kun?”

Hearing the familiar voice, Ryoma unburied himself from the comforters and looked up…

“Ryoma-samaaaaaa!”

… only to once again re-bury himself.

Sakuno was there… with Osakada Tomoka. Someone much worse than Horio with the last person he ever wanted to see. He started reconsidering suicide, but hearing the door to his room open, he knew that there wasn’t much time. Silently, he reminded himself to pick a fight with Nanako later. Curse that woman.

“Oba-chan sent me to give you her wishes.”

I’m not dead yet, Ryoma wanted to retort, but he had resolved to play dead again so he said nothing.

“And we brought you cake, Ryoma-sama! We didn’t know if you’d like it but if you don’t, we’ll eat all of it anyway, ne, Sakuno-chan?”

“Tomo-chan!” Sakuno reprimanded, and Ryoma could imagine her red face already. “Also, Tezuka-sempai asked me to deliver a message.”

At these words, Ryoma forgot about his plan and sat up, not minding to brush down his wild bed hair and also forgetting the fact that he was in his pajamas. He remembered, though, after seeing the shocked look on Sakuno’s face (and the delighted, moe-d face of the other one) but he decided that he could do nothing about it, anyway.

“Buchou?”

Sakuno nodded, still looking shocked. She managed to get the words out, though.

“He says, “It is the height of spirit that truly matters.” He says that it was important that I told you.” She bent forward. “Are you well, Ryoma-kun?”

Ryoma flushed. “No.” Tezuka seriously knew how to embarrass people, as if what he did wasn’t enough.

Sakuno smiled shyly. “Please get well, then. Everyone misses you already!”

“We miss you, Ryoma-sama! Everyone in the fan club sends their wishes!”

“Uh, thanks,” Ryoma muttered. He wished hard that they’d just go away. As if hearing his thoughts, Sakuno stood up and smoothed down her skirt.

“I think we should be going, Tomo-chan.”

“Already?” Tomoka whined, but she stood up as well and grinned at Ryoma. “Get well soon, Ryoma-sama and please come to school tomorrow! Sakuno-chan says she’ll be making you a bento tonight so you shouldn’t miss it!” She winked at Ryoma and said mischievously, “Also, Ryoma-sama has come up with amazing measurements this year! It’s so cute how I’m taller than Ryoma-sama! That’s what the other girls say at the club, too!”

Ryoma stared at Tomoka, deeply horrified.

“Tomo-chan!” Sakuno said, her face as red as a tomato. She turned to meet Ryoma’s face and said a little too quickly, “Height doesn’t matter at all! Ryoma-kun is great just as he is! And please look forward to the bento! I’ll do my best!”

And she pulled Tomoka quickly with her and bounded downstairs.

He let everything sink in for a while… For once since he had his talk with Tezuka, he felt somehow pleased. And then Ryoma couldn’t stop grinning smugly to himself.

In your face, Horio.

--

“Buchou?”

Tezuka turned to look at Ryoma, suddenly feeling panic rise up his throat. He recalled the events of last week and though Ryoma looked better, he knew deep inside that he was the cause of the boy’s sickness. Oishi had told him that Ryoma probably suffered an ego-deflation, and Tezuka was praying by the temple everyday for Ryoma’s getting well and for his growing up to speed up.

“Excuse me,” he said, his stoic face not betraying the large, bursting waves of emotion he felt at that moment. “I have an appointment.” And the captain left Ryoma as fast as he could.

Ryoma stared in bewilderment at the door, wondering why Tezuka was in so much of a hurry.

“His zipper was open, too… Oh well.”

And he stood up to pack his own things, too. He needed to buy another packet of milk on the way home.

FIN.

Thanks for reading! And please don’t leave comments such as ‘Sakuno is NOT taller than Ryoma in the anime/manga!’ See note above. Thank you so much!